On the Way to Bangkok

Bang Saphan – Arrived 11/4/11:

Look how fast I'm moving my head!

Found some nice quiet coastal roads to cycle along, trying to avoid the main highway as much as possible.  Very happy with my phone too having the GPS capability as without it I would be getting lost very quickly.  In fact I tend to get marginally lost with it maybe that’s more the user though!

Bang Saphan itself nothing particularly great.  Got some pics of the fishing boats at night for ya though.

Prap Khiri Khan – Arrived 12/4/11:

The Temple

On the way up the coast I stumbled across where I should have stayed the previous night.  20km out of Bang Saphan were beautiful white sandy beaches and awesome looking resorts everywhere, beach soccer and one very impressive temple.  It was up the most ridiculously steep hill by worth loosing 15 litres of sweat over.  The note on the entrance to the temple said “appropriate clothing must be worn” – a sweaty tee and cycle shorts?  Huge inside.  Not allowed to take any photos sorry.

Entertainment at Prap Khiri Khan… monkeys.  There was a strip of land that they just ruled.  Signs aying ‘Don’t Feed Monkeys’ but everyone feed them there leftovers.  Corn strewn everywhere and monkeys running wild.  I think the main thing confining them was the busy intersections they couldn’t cross otherwise they would be ruling the whole city!

The drying racks for the days catch

How many monkeys can you count? I got 14, but
that is only a wee gang 

You're not meant to feed the monkeys!

Oh and I ate this thing.  Tasted like a chewy
glue blob covered in peanuts and coconut.
Not a fan.

Hua Hin – Arrived 13/4/11:

Towards the end the days water celebrations.
 It may look like it has been raining but it hasn't

So this is the Thai new year.  They paint themselves in a white paste thing and have massive water fights.  Was all good and fun for a while on the bike until I just started getting picked on by every truck passing me and soaking me.  Tired, hot and just wanting a room but all I got was wet and splashed in white paint stuff.  Makes me sound like such a kill joy.  Better looking back on it in hindsight.  No decent photos sorry in fear of ruining my camera.  Just imagine a 3 lane dual road bumper to bumper in traffic with about 17 people standing on the deck of every car (your standard hilux – I don’t even know how they all fit on?!) with a 44 gallon drum of water going mental.  It was mental.

Ban Laem – Arrived 14/4/11:

The straights

A bit more water thrown at me along the roads.

Lots of straight long roads.  Something like the Ashburton straights but at 47^oC and salt fields everywhere. I’m parched as bro.

No accommodation and pretty smashed.

I got talking and hand gesturing to a lady.  We confused each other, called a couple of her mates, talked to them on the phone, got directions to go back from where I came from,  called another friend, she came and translated for us. 

“We have a bungalow but mosquito’s.  You have spray?”

“Yea all good.” I just wanted something

“You follow us”

Wooden shed, over the salt fields, going to bitten to death (literally from malaria).  Apparently what they meant was; we know a mint place that will serve you dinner and breakfast and has a clean, tidy, air conditioned room. I have no idea how that worked out.

The endless salt fields.  They more or less streched
 from Phetchaburi to Bangkok (some 200km)

Sunset outside my room